Reply to: State of the Market

[SchumiStars]

That graph does not look right. This is the worst I have seen it. I have been working since 1999 and contracting since 2008.

I have been thinking, saying, looking at getting a government grant to learn how to become a teacher. The wife has been studying for another degree at Oxford for a couple of years so may join her.

[SussexSeagull]

Interesting point. Are there fewer people in their early to mid-30s, continuing to go into contracting?

10-15 years ago it seemed that I worked with a lot of contractors who were under 35. Now there seem to be fewer younger ones about.

This forum seems to be disproportionately populated by people well past 40 so I don't think we're particularly representative of 'the market'.

I suspect what happens is you become older than the person interviewing you and the perception is you are more stuck in your ways than younger candidates.

Certainly in what I did the focus went from doing decent Test Analysis that could then potentially lead to automated testing to having a CV full of testing frameworks.

Not my field but developers seem to need to have an increasing range of development platforms non their CV which I suspect most of them could learn in their sleep because they are experienced developers. This lends itself to younger coders who have the time to chase the next trend in their spare time and not have families to worry about.

Some would call it ageism. I call it sidelining a lot of valuable experience that has a track record of delivery.

[SussexSeagull]

Covid year, 2020, aside. The vast majority of contractors had it good between 2011 and 2022.

There may have been a very small minority that struggled between 2011 and 2022, but that was probably down to them (out of date skillset) but not due to the state of the market.

It has only been since mid 2022 that large numbers of contractors have been struggling to find anything at all.

Broadly agree with that. I had a bit of time out after the crash in 2008 and post Brexit I had a year out, although in hindsight that was probably largely due to having a two and a half year contract that didn’t offer any sellable skills before that. Once the market adjusted during COVID I did ok.

The problem for me was the gaps between contracts went from 2-4 weeks to get the paperwork sorted out and put your feet up to several months. Plus I found the quality of work went downhill.

is only one person’s experience though.

[SussexSeagull]

So, hot off a banning for calling Reeves ‘Rachel from accounts’, deemed as ‘sexism’. Let’s leave it right there shall we?

in my banned time I have some good news in the form of two offers, one of which I accepted and start Monday possibly. Possibly 2-3 years of work on this project I’m told. Outside IR35 and totally remote. Not the biggest rate I’ve had but the value of the project over time is significant.

Sad to decline the other offer but whilst a higher rate and a more fulfilling project, the duration was short. Again outside IR35 and totally remote except an odd visit to the office once a month or so. On receiving my rejection the client was gutted so I’m told. Feel kind of bad on that but perhaps we can work something out later on. There may be an outside chance of servicing both contracts.

just goes to show that dogged determination pays off in the end and the phrase ‘ when you’re going through hell, keep going’ rings very true.

keep believing people!

Well done. Odd how two come along at once.

[avonleigh]

Covid year, 2020, aside. The vast majority of contractors had it good between 2011 and 2022.

There may have been a very small minority that struggled between 2011 and 2022, but that was probably down to them (out of date skillset) but not due to the state of the market.

It has only been since mid 2022 that large numbers of contractors have been struggling to find anything at all.

Totally agree on this. The market has only been in decline since 2022.

And big congrats to Oliverson.

[sadkingbilly]

there have been boom times and lean times since 1972 in contracting.
it didn't start in 199x or whenever webdevs were conceived.
contracting's about surviving the vagaries.
or, unfortunately, in a lot of cases, whining continually about the unfairness of life, the universe, and everything.

[Fraidycat]

Covid year, 2020, aside. The vast majority of contractors had it good between 2011 and 2022.

There may have been a very small minority that struggled between 2011 and 2022, but that was probably down to them (out of date skillset) but not due to the state of the market.

It has only been since mid 2022 that large numbers of contractors have been struggling to find anything at all.

[sadkingbilly]

which market IS this the state of?
stock market? jobs market? ollie's got a gig market? fraidy's fearful forecasts?
asking for a friend.

[Fraidycat]

Fraidy is still in denial about the decline, claiming a thread that is almost 10 years old really only started just over 3 years ago.

In other market news, I see the FTSE hit an all-time high on 12/11/25, so it’s not all bad.

The UK in general and the IT sector had falling unemployment all the way from 2011 to 2020.

2016 to 2020 were very good years as hiring increased and unemployment fell across the board.

2021 was a boom year as Tech hiring ramped up and unemployment fell after Covid.

That 2021 tech boom was followed by a bust in 2022 that is still on going.

Unemployment in both the UK and IT sector been increasing for the last 40 months.


This chart is part of the official UK ONS unemployment chart since 2011.

[WTFH]

Keeping true to the evidence that falling markets never fall in a stright line.

No change in the trajectory at this point for 2025.

Fraidy is still in denial about the decline, claiming a thread that is almost 10 years old really only started just over 3 years ago.

In other market news, I see the FTSE hit an all-time high on 12/11/25, so it’s not all bad.

[Bluenose]

And the promising spike up in the jobserve headline number is now back to what it was earlier this year.

40 months, this IT jobs market recession has now turned in to a depression.

With the perm market almost as bad as the contract market from what I can tell.

Keeping true to the evidence that falling markets never fall in a stright line.

No change in the trajectory at this point for 2025.

[NotAllThere]

[Dorkeaux]

In anticipation of Oliverson's permaban, I'll forgo the "Reply with quote" option.

Congratulations. Have a banana:

[oliverson]

So, hot off a banning for calling Reeves ‘Rachel from accounts’, deemed as ‘sexism’. Let’s leave it right there shall we?

in my banned time I have some good news in the form of two offers, one of which I accepted and start Monday possibly. Possibly 2-3 years of work on this project I’m told. Outside IR35 and totally remote. Not the biggest rate I’ve had but the value of the project over time is significant.

Sad to decline the other offer but whilst a higher rate and a more fulfilling project, the duration was short. Again outside IR35 and totally remote except an odd visit to the office once a month or so. On receiving my rejection the client was gutted so I’m told. Feel kind of bad on that but perhaps we can work something out later on. There may be an outside chance of servicing both contracts.

just goes to show that dogged determination pays off in the end and the phrase ‘ when you’re going through hell, keep going’ rings very true.

keep believing people!

[Fraidycat]

After a really good late September and the whole of October, November has reverted back to the average.

I am not having problems securing work but many others are really struggling.

And the promising spike up in the jobserve headline number is now back to what it was earlier this year.

40 months, this IT jobs market recession has now turned in to a depression.

With the perm market almost as bad as the contract market from what I can tell.